Findings, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, put the percentage of married couples that now meet online at almost 35% -- which gives what may be the first broad look at the overall percentage of new marriages that result from meeting online.About 45% of couples met on dating sites; the rest met on online social networks, chat rooms, instant messaging or other online forums.More than a third of recent marriages in the USA started online, according to a study out Monday that presents more evidence of just how much technology has taken hold of our lives."Societally, we are going to increasingly meet more of our romantic partners online as we establish more of an online presence in terms of social media," says Caitlin Moldvay, a dating industry senior analyst for market research firm IBISWorld in Santa Monica, Calif."I do think mobile dating is going to be the main driver of this growth."The research, based on a survey of more than 19,000 individuals who married between 20, also found relationships that began online are slightly happier and less likely to split than those that started offline.There are many reasons why some relationships become long distance.For instance, one or both partners may go away for military duty.You can do almost anything online these days: Check a bank balance, buy shoes, choose a mattress, order a cab.So when Roberta Caploe was ready to start dating again after a divorce, she didn’t ask her friends to fix her up or feel the need to frequent bars or health clubs.

Never lie about your age or what you do for a living.“It was—unbelievably—not a crazy experience.” Online dating has certainly lost its lonely-hearts stigma.Just look at how many people seeking dates or mates are flocking to matchmaking sites and apps.SOURCE: Consumer Reports "It's clear that online dating websites play a major role in the lives of many consumers — we invest a tremendous amount of time, money and emotional energy.It really is a consumer issue worthy of our attention." said Margot Gilman, money editor for Consumer Reports.